About the Flag of Monteiro Lobato

A blue Scandinavian-style cross, bordered white, divides the field into four
fields, alternately green and red. The municipal coat of arms is placed on
a white disk overall.Source:
www.valedoparaiba.comJoseph McMillan, 19 March 2003

The municipality of Monteiro Lobato (4,123 inhabitants in 2010; 33,274
ha) is located in the Paraíba Valley, 130 km of São Paulo.

Monteiro Lobato was successively known under four different names:
Freguesia das Estacas, Freguesia de Nossa Senhora do Bonsucesso do
Buquira, Vila das Palmeiras do Buquira and Vila do Buquira. In Tupi-
Guarani, Buquira means "the birds' river".
The municipality of Buquira was established on 26 April 1880. In 1934,
it was downgraded to a district incorporated to the municipality of
São José dos Campos. Reestablished in 1948, the municipality was
renamed Monteiro Lobato the next year.

The municipality is named for the writer José Bento Monteiro Lobato
(1882-1948), who started his writer's career in the Buquira Estate. He
"portrayed" the estate in his famous children books under the name of
"Sítio do Picapau Amarelo" (Yellow Woodpecker Farm).

The symbols of Monteiro Lobato are prescribed in Article 2 of the
Municipal Constitution, adopted on 5 April 1990, as "the flag, the
coat of arms and the anthem, representative of its culture and history".

The coat of arms is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 213 of 20 November
1962.
" Portuguese shield, quarterly, 1. Vert an escutcheon vert a chief
serrated azure a fess argent charged with a canoe sable, 2. Gules a a
cross argent two stars or, 3. Argent a fleur-de-lis or [faceted argent
and sable on the image], 4. The main and most significant heraldic
figure of São Paulo State, the State flag, charged with a book and
quill or [argent on the image]. The shield surmounted by a mural
crown or ports gules. Beneath the shield a scroll gules inscribed with
the motto 'DEO ANTE OMNIA' [God Prior To Anything]."

The first quarter recalls the exploration and first settlement of the
place.
The second quarter recalls the Christian origin of the people and is a
tribute to the patron saint of the town.
The third quarter shows a fleur-de-lis as a symbol of nobleness; this
is a tribute to the Baron of Tremembé who offered the land to build
the municipality.
The fourth quarter represents São Paulo State and the writer Monteiro
Lobato, the municipality' namesake.